Urine testing module and method of collecting urine antigen

Abstract

A method for testing for biological molecular indicators in urine. Urine is transported through a sample container under pressure to flow through the sample container so that antigens in the urine are collected and bound on antibodies immobilized on the beads to form antigen-antibody complex. The beads are washed to remove cell debris and charged molecules and a specific prelabelled antibody solution is passed through the sample container with the prelabelled antibodies attaching to a receptor site on the captured antigen to form an antibody-antigen-prelabelled antibody sandwich complex. This sandwich complex is washed to remove cell debris and charged molecules and mixed with a color reagent solution which reacts with the prelabelled antibody to produce an color indicating the presence of a specific cancer antigen.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of testing for the presence of cancer antigen comprising the steps of: a. collecting urine into an apparatus for collecting biological fluids;   b. passing the urine through a urine treatment container holding an immobilized antibody bead means to capture antigen from the urine;   c. washing the bead means antibody-antigen complex formed in step b to remove non bound materials,   d. mixing the bead means antibody complex with a prelabelled primary antibody solution to form a sandwich complex of antibody antigen prelabelled primary antibody;   e. washing the sandwich complex bead means to remove non bound materials; and   f. immersing the washed sandwich bead means in a coloring reagent which reacts with the prelabelled primary antibody to produce a color which indicates cancer presence.   
     
     
       2. A method as claimed in claim 1 including repeating steps b and d a plurality of times. 
     
     
       3. A method of testing for predetermined antigen in urine comprising the steps of: a. placing an antigen collecting apparatus in fluid communication with urine and causing the urine to pass through the antigen collecting apparatus so that antigens are captured by antibody bead means located in said collecting apparatus forming an antigen-antibody complex bead means;   b. washing the antigen-antibody complex bead means to remove non bound debris,   c. causing a prelabelled primary antibody solution to contact the antigen-antibody complex bead means to form an antigen-antibody sandwich complex with the prelabelled primary antibody being bound to the antigen of the antigen-antibody complex;   d. washing the sandwich complex to remove non bound debris; and   e. mixing the sandwich complex in a reactant solution to form an indicator indicating the presence of a specific cancer.   
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in claim 3 including repeating steps a and c at least one time. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in claim 3 including repeating steps a and c three times. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in claim 3 including repeating steps a and c a plurality of times. 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of mixing said urine with a buffering solution before causing urine flow through the antibody bead means. 
     
     
       8. A method of collecting antigen from urine for testing for cancer comprising the steps of: a. mixing a buffer solution in urine;   b. withdrawing the buffered urine into a syringe means containing a filter and beads with immobilized antibodies to obtain a concentration of antigen on said beads with immobilized antibodies;   c. washing the complexed antigen-antibody beads to remove the stray ligands and debris;   d. mixing the antigen-antibody complex beads with a prelabelled primary antibody solution to form a sandwich complex with the prelabelled primary antibody fastening on to the captured antigen receptor sites;   e. washing the sandwich antigen-antibody complex to remove stray ligands and debris; and   f. treating the washed sandwich complex with a coloring reagent to obtain a colored solution indicating the presence of a specific antigen cancer marker.   
     
     
       9. The method as claimed in claim 8 including the step of adding another solution to said reactant solution. 
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said another solution added to said reactant solution is hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
       11. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said prelabelled primary antibody is labelled with HRP. 
     
     
       12. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said reactant solution is ABTS. 
     
     
       13. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said reactant solution is TMB. 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said reactant solution is OPD.